Rhonda Rompola announces retirement at end of season

[CA Mustang]

Not to pi$$ on this parade, but exactly how many NCAA tourney wins over her 25-year coaching career here?

More than Larry Brown, Doh, Tubbs combined.

Why stop there? Include Shumate & Dement on your list as well.

People can celebrate RR all they want, fine by me. I see it differently.

Some 55 years of combined MBB / WBB and all we have to show for it is a Kato win against ND + 3 wins in WBB (can someone confirm this #), but not even one single 2nd round tourney appearance?

That's nothing I want to celebrate.

Especially given SMU's potential, finally realized by LB.

If the past 30+ seasons of MBB and WBB are unacceptable, direct your ire at Hart and Turner. They are the ones making the decisions and should know what level of achievement you expect.

[CA Mustang]

WTF with the vitriol for RR.
She operated with pennies on the dollar and was much more successful than the men's program until LB showed up.
Say thank you, wish her the best in retirement and then let's see who can start making us competitive in WBB.

Hear, hear. Some folks give their favorite team a pass while accusing others of being failures if they don't have multiple national championships.

[ebrooks11]

Differing opinion = hate and vitriol

[SoCal_Pony]

No hate Mrydel, certainly not towards RR, just frustration at our administration for being so completely inept for so long and maybe a little frustration at a fan base that tolerated it.

I don't follow WBB that closely, but would be curious to know how many times in RR's 25 years here we were ranked Top 20. I suspect not many. I highly doubt any MBB coach could survive at a school for 25 years on that resume. That's not hate, far from it. I'm just stating opinion based on facts.

And on a different but kind of related note, I see our Men's and Women's Tennis teams are ranked #53 and #72 respectively (PFs says Women are now ranked #49). How nice are our facilities compared to others and when will we see a return on this investment?

This is not rose-colored SMU BS. I get that we may never compete on a national level in FB, but there is no excuse for the country club sports. We also should be highly competitive in WBB given our school and facilities and competitive in MBB (which we now are).

If I'm wrong, someone please tell me why.

[SoCal_Pony]

Differing opinion = hate and vitriol

Agreed and funny as I suspect most on this board are conservative and don't appreciate it when liberals call their conservative views hateful and vitriol.

[ebrooks11]

I with you on RR. I don't know the woman but I imagine she is delightful but if our next coach doesn't have more than 3 tourney wins in 25 years I would call that a bad hire.

[mtrout]

So you guys will be mad if they hire lisa dark?

[smupony94]

Geno is tired of winning at UCONN and wants a challenge

[skyscraper]

Who wants to be the first coach to win a WNBA title and an NCAA title?

[mrydel]

We probably agree more than disagree. I am well aware we were not prominent on the national scene in WBB. But I cannot blame that on Rhonda. How many ADs came and went during her time. It may be more of satisfaction with status quo. Let's see where they go from here and we will be able to tell how serious they are.

[EastStang]

Are she and Dement still married? Nothing in the Press Release about that.

[smupony94]

Wiki says yes

[Buena Vista Mustang]

Yes, Rhonda and Mike are still married. He attends most of the women's games.

[PoconoPony]

Currently watching UConn decimate SMU 65 to 19 at end of 3d quarter. We are out matched in every respect including coaching. Our kids simply do not have the training or discipline to compete. Embarrassing.

[mtrout]

Uconn does that to everyone that's not in the top10